TL;DR: About 60 Preble County, Ohio, residents were helped out of floodwater early Aug. 20, 2026, with 51 evacuated from two Camden mobile-home parks after Seven Mile Creek rose.

What happened overnight in Camden

Heavy rain fell on already saturated ground in southern Preble County and produced widespread flash flooding early Thursday, Aug. 20, 2026, according to The Register Herald. Water rescue crews helped approximately 60 residents in several flooded areas during the early-morning response.

The Emergency Management Agency situation report documented 51 people evacuated by the Preble County Swift Water Rescue Team from Shawnee Plains North and Shawnee Plains South after Seven Mile Creek flooded. Those residents were brought to the Camden-Somers Township Fire Department for staging.

Emergency Management Agency personnel responded after a request for blankets and placed the American Red Cross on standby in case emergency sheltering became necessary. Emergency Management Agency staff delivered blankets to the fire department. All of the displaced residents were ultimately able to find temporary housing with friends or relatives, so a shelter was not needed.

Village leaders described the event as unusually severe for the community. Village Administrator Russell Wilson called it the worst he had seen in 25 years, according to WDTN. One neighbor told village officials that he measured more than six inches of rainfall from the storms.

Flood timeline and emergency response

The National Weather Service issued a flood advisory for Preble County at 11:05 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 19, because of excessive rainfall from thunderstorms, according to a situation report prepared by Preble County Emergency Management Agency Director Suzy Cottingim. Multiple flood warnings followed as conditions deteriorated overnight.

Emergency crews began responding to flooding calls shortly after midnight. Station 40 crews were dispatched to the Terry Court area at approximately 12:30 a.m., as the Preble County Dispatch Center began receiving multiple reports of flooding, according to the Preble County Swift Water Rescue Team.

At 1:03 a.m., dispatch received a report of flooding at a mobile home park in Camden. By 1:38 a.m., dispatch records indicated the railroad was under water and evacuation attempts were underway.

The Preble County Swift Water Rescue Team was activated, with crews helping residents from flooded areas and moving them to safer locations. As additional calls arrived from the Shawnee Plains North and Shawnee Plains South areas, the size of the affected area required additional water rescue resources. Monroe Water Rescue and Miami Valley Fire District Water Rescue were called to assist.

Crews worked together throughout the early morning hours and helped approximately 60 residents across multiple flooded areas, according to the Preble County Swift Water Rescue Team. Fire officials and county officers also worked to save pets from flooded areas, according to WDTN.

The rescue response involved personnel and resources from multiple agencies. The Preble County Swift Water Rescue Team thanked the Preble County Sheriff's Office, Preble County Dispatch Center, Preble County Emergency Management Agency, Gasper Township Fire and EMS, City of Eaton Fire and EMS, Shawnee Fire District, Monroe water rescue personnel and Miami Valley Fire District, along with all personnel who assisted during the incident.

Stranded driver rescued on Ohio 503

A separate water rescue occurred on Ohio 503 just north of Enterprise Road at approximately 2 a.m. early Aug. 20, according to The Register Herald's reporting on West Alexandria Fire and EMS. A driver became stranded in high water in an occupied vehicle.

The driver later told emergency crews that darkness prevented him from realizing the roadway was flooded until his vehicle was already entering the water. Upon arriving, West Alexandria firefighters determined the depth of the water, strength of the current and other conditions required specialized swift-water rescue resources.

Several out-of-county water rescue teams had already been requested to assist with significant flooding elsewhere in Preble County. Miami Valley Fire District personnel from the Miamisburg area were already operating in the county and were able to respond to the Ohio 503 incident.

West Alexandria incident command met with the Miami Valley Fire District rescue team, and crews developed a coordinated plan to reach the stranded motorist. Trained water rescue personnel entered the floodwaters, reached the partially submerged vehicle and safely removed the driver. The driver was then brought back to safety.

West Alexandria Fire and EMS thanked Miami Valley Fire District for providing mutual aid during the incident. The department said mutual aid is an important part of fire and EMS service and incidents like this demonstrate why partnerships matter.

Homes, utilities and public buildings damaged

Preliminary assessments found one home with major damage and five with minor damage. Multiple additional residences were classified as affected, with officials continuing to determine the total number. No homes were initially classified as destroyed.

The Somers Township Building in Camden sustained several inches of mud throughout the building, while approximately 100 feet of fence in the village was taken down by floodwater. Camden's wastewater treatment plant overflowed during the flooding.

Over three feet of water covered the village wastewater plant overnight, according to WDTN. Council President Tedd Ashman said an alarm started going off about 2 a.m. when the water started rising.

The village's well fields were also under water but continued functioning as intended, according to the Emergency Management Agency. Council President Ashman said street sewers and related systems were not designed for that much water in that short of a time.

On Camden Road, the creek behind residential property washed out the bank, which also took a bass boat, a car trailer and a lawnmower and caused significant damage to the bank itself, according to Village Administrator Wilson. As floodwater receded, Wilson said a large cleanup remained.

Damage extended beyond Camden

Emergency Management Agency officials reported a flooded home in Gratis Township on Thursday morning. Bridge and culvert damage was reported in Lanier Township.

On Yost Road in Lanier Township, floodwaters washed away a culvert embankment and berm. The concrete structure itself was not damaged. The Preble County Engineer's Office reported several bridges sustained damage from the flooding.

Two roadways near creeks or bridges were closed as of Thursday morning, according to the Preble County Sheriff's Office. Preliminary damage assessments were conducted by Preble County Emergency Management Agency with assistance from the Ohio Emergency Management Agency and City of Eaton Fire and EMS.

Emergency Management Agency officials also provided residents with a self-reporting tool to document flood damage that may not have otherwise been known to emergency officials. Final damage assessments were expected to continue in the days following the flooding. At a council meeting, several residents said they were grateful for Ohio Emergency Management Agency staff coming into the community to check on residents, according to WDTN.

Power, services and emergency status

Despite the extent of the flooding, Emergency Management Agency officials reported no current disruption to health and medical services, communications or safety and security at the time of the situation report. Limited disruptions were reported involving food, water and sheltering, energy and transportation.

As of 8 p.m. Thursday, the AES outage map showed one residence without power in the West Alexandria area. The county's Emergency Operations Center was operating at Emergency Activation Level 3 for assessment and monitoring.

No emergency declaration had been issued as of 9:30 p.m. Aug. 20, when Cottingim issued the situation report.

What households can learn from this flood

Do not attempt to drive through flooded roadways. West Alexandria Fire and EMS urged motorists to follow the National Weather Service's "Turn Around, Don't Drown" safety message and avoid attempting to cross flooded roads. The department said water can be deeper, faster and much more powerful than it appears, especially at night.

"If you cannot clearly see the roadway ahead, do not assume it is safe," the department said. It added, "A vehicle can be replaced. You cannot."

Have a temporary place to go before water rises. In Camden, evacuees staged at a fire department needed blankets, and the Red Cross was placed on standby. Those residents were able to stay with friends or relatives, which meant an emergency shelter was not needed.

Document damage even if officials have not visited the property. Preble County Emergency Management Agency provided a self-reporting tool for residents to document flood damage that officials might not otherwise know about.

Prepare for utility disruptions during and after flash flooding. Camden's wastewater plant overflowed, its well fields were covered by water, fencing and public buildings were damaged, and roads and bridges were closed in several townships.

Sources referenced